It has been common to provide packages which serve as dispensing containers. Such packages permit both shipment and subsequent controlled dispensing of the contents of the container. Common examples include match boxes, grain dispensers, and candy dispensers. With the exception of the match box style design where a tray is slidably movable outwardly from a main body, most dispensing containers include a tray or other dispensing means which pivotably moves outwardly from a main container body. By constructing the tray so that means carried by the tray engage a wall of the main body to limit the amount of tray pivot, a pivotable tray bin is established to gain access to the contents of the container. Such designs include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,235,473; 3,593,908; and 4,283,000.
Although these designs provide a combination dispenser and container, it is believed they are limited in their use. If the contents of the container are heavy, the excessive weight exerted against the tray front wall can unbalance the container. In addition, a pivoting tray limits the amount of dispensing volume near the lower portion of the tray where the container contents usually are located making it difficult to manually grasp the contents contained within the tray.
To minimize the aforesaid problems, one dispensing container design disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,645,771 to Pillsbury includes a pivoting tray which slidably moves outwardly from a main container body so that the front portion of the tray forms a tray bin having an enlarged opening. In addition, a curved, upwardly extending tray back wall serves to guide the contents of the container forward facilitating their withdrawal. However, complex means is disclosed for locking the tray in its pivoted, open position, and a potential imbalance is created by the fully opened tray.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a dispensing container having a tray which moves in a non-pivoting manner outwardly from a main container body toward an extended position and which includes means preventing withdrawal of the tray completely from the body.
It is another object of this invention to provide a dispensing container having a tray slidably movable outwardly from a main container body and means serving to guide the contents of the tray forward to facilitate dispensing thereof.